Group Work: Snauq

BELOW: groups who sent me the voluntary assignment. Thank you!

Assignment _ Summary
Section: P206 – 209 of Goodbye Snauq


In Maracle Lee’s essay, "Goodbye, Snauq”, several rhetorical techniques can be found which she uses to make her ideas clear and expresses her thoughts effectively. In short, the paragraphs on page 206 to 209 mainly describe the changes of the lifestyle and environment of the First Nations after they had signed the treaties. On page 207, Maracle uses flashback to show the huge contrast in the quality of Snauq environment before and after her ancestors were forced to confiscate by the immigrant - Canadian government. After that, she also uses imagery to show how severe the damages to the land caused by the new comers were and how worse the situation was. For example, she states that the Canadian government ‘built mills at Yaletown and piled up garbage at the edges of our old supermarket – Snauq.’(207), and ‘the shoreline is gone; in its place are industries squatting where the sea once was.’ (207). Throughout these four pages, Maracle is effectively using flashback and imagery as to express her pain on the Aboriginal people that they had to make desperate and unfair decisions to assure their survival and upsetting at the forfeiture of the right to Snauq. By: Leo Chow, Michael Cong, Tiffany Siu, and Christine Tsang.

Summary page 205-207

The author of 'Goodbye, Snauq', Lee Maracle shares about the irony and tragedy of her traditional homeland in Vancouver. She is depressed of the Squamish government by

surrending their land for $92 million. Maracle has been expressing her frustration through drinking alcohol. She has notice a big difference between the past and present.

Wild food like berries and medicines are no longer obtainable, all kinds of wastes such as toxic waste, even food waste can be seen across water. Snauq is no longer the

place she belongs to it is now called False Creek


Group members: Ansel Huang
Boye Zeng
Colin Xu
Maggie Yang
Wing Yang


1. Summarize the last part of the article: “I reconjure the stretch…to the end” (Page215-Page219)
The last part of the Maracle’s “Goodbye Snauq” shows us Maracle’s hope in irony and the obvious difference between Chinese immigrants and the first nations. Maracle combines present description with lots flashback to indicate how white people seized the Snauq and then destroyed the beautiful hometown cruelly. In addition, Maracle gives an example of a Chinese: Li Ka Shing. The Chinese gained the land in the end, although they were subjected to a head tax and were discriminated, terrorized by marauding white people. However, the most unfortunately is just like Maracle mentioned: “The Chinese have nations as origins, their home countries belong to the United Nations or NATO or other such international organizations.” But Indigenous people were the real homeless who would never be able to acquire a place back. So the only way Maracle can do is to say goodbye to her home: Snauq. In short, Maracle hopes the Snauq has a same future like Chinese’s by comparison with the Li Ka Shing’s example even though their situations are totally different in fact.

2. Point form: locate rhetorical techniques with example.
- “the wind whispering songs of future to the residents” (Page 215 last paragraph) Personification
- “How could we ….and unprotected” (Page 215 last paragraph) Rhetorical question
- “What has this …. class” (Page 216 second paragraph) and “ They all pull…what’s going on” (Page 216 forth paragraph) Colloquialism
- “Do I dare remember ….Do I dare desire….Do I dare say goodbye?” (Page 217 second paragraph) Parallelism
- “The wind catches…lifts it” (Page 217 last paragraph) Personification
- “I know it shouldn’t… in New York State.” (Page 218 first paragraph) and the comparison with the Chinese example (Page 218 second paragraph) Contrast